When this tour was announced back in September of last year I realised very quickly two things. One i needed to go to as many dates as I could and two, I would have to hope they had more than 30 minutes as they were to be supporting All Time Low. (The wrong way around in my opinion yet 14 year old girls do sell tickets).
Fast Forward six months and the time finally came to see a band that had and still massively influences me in many ways. 40 minutes was to be their alloted time slot and night after night that I watched the nine song set it was as if I was listening to these songs for the first time again and for a couple of the songs it was the first time that they were played in the UK. My first surprise in Leeds was the low key stage layout. No back drop and only head units visible. This all left my mind immediately as soon as the lights went down and within a few seconds Keys guitar rips into the intro to “Lights and Sounds”. His guitar packing a lot more punch than I had imagined is then joined by the rest of the band as Yellowcard kick into life dragging everyone along with them. I along with many others had been waiting for this for way too long. Crowd participation is clear from the start with the roaring bridge building up to the screamed vocal “I’ve got a way!” by every YC fan in the room. The band then go straight into Ocean Avenue opener “Way Away” with the intro again meeting a loud roar from the fans. Now we get to see Mackins violin taking a little more a prominent place on stage as the intro kicks in. The wall of sound is huge. Less than half way through the song and YC have the entire crowd in the palm of their hand. Sean on his first tour with the band on bass is fully settled already with all the bass fills and vocals down to perfection already, just a backflip from Mackin and the older YC fan would find themselves back in 04 but tonight its all about the music.
Sticking with Ocean Avenue Mackin flies into my personal favourite “Believe”. This in Newcastle is played to perfection, LP pulling the band along as he always does so effortlessly. Mendez is calm on lead guitar. What amazes me is just how tight the band is. Maybe amaze is the wrong word as I knew they would be. I think awe would be better used. Three songs in and the band jumps to Paper Walls to play “Fighting” and “Five becomes Four”. Having seen the set list in advance I was surprised at these two songs being played until I was able to see how huge they sound in a live setting. The thing with YC songs is that anyone can pick up a backing vocal or chorus quickly and be singing along in no time and Fighting is an example of this.
Ryan apologizes to fans for the lack of touring and this is clearly appreciated and seems genuine every night. This isn’t just a route thing to say to please fans. Two new songs please YC fans and with the first being “Hang You Up” many younger ATL fans are given a breather. The YC fans have been insane tonight and are not set on letting this set just pass them by. “For You and Your Denial” follows and this is met with more positivity than Hang You Up simply as it has been available to buy for longer. Here we see the new YC at full throttle. Older songs are played to perfection yes but for YC they should be. It is what people expect. There seems to be a slight glint in the eyes of the whole band as they play this song. Its new, its fresh and gives the band a chance to stretch their legs on songs that they have written together as a new unit. Seven songs in and time is now left for two more songs.
3,500 people are packed in the Apollo in manchester, YC fans are crammed in the front sweating, younger fans on the barrier have been removed almost passing out and YC are just over three quarters of the way through their set. The band will go back to Ocean Avenue for their last two songs. “Only one” followed by “Ocean Avenue”. If any fan had any energy left, YC were making sure it would not be so in roughly 8 minutes time. Only one is met with fans singing their lungs out as does Key in every chorus and by this point the band know that yet again, they have reminded another town who they are and have shown the newer bands of the night that they have some ground to go before reaching their level. Its not about the size of the venue or current popularity. Its about writing songs that last. Most of the kids in here tonight were not in double figures when Ocean Avenue was released yet the reception to the song is the same as when it was released back in 2003. With Ocean avenue comes the end of an awesome set and three really really good sets in 5 days. Its hard not to be biased when its your favourite band but there is not a person in any of those venues who cannot say that YC were and are just at a different level. Over three nights I was able to watch Imitators and the imitated. You can never beat the originals.
